In the Cakavatti Sutta, the Buddha himself predicted that the sasana
would disappear five thousand years after his death (making the current
moment the halfway point), preceded by a period of moral degeneration
and societal collapse, and leading to the arrival of the next Buddha
(named Maitreya) who will revitalize the teachings. Reminders of this
prediction can put into perspective any anxiety about Buddhism’s supposed
imminent extinction; one might find solace in reminders that the
Buddha himself predicted this as part of the nature of impermanence.
To try to struggle against the inevitable extinction of things that are inherently
impermanent will only increase suffering and anxiety. Indeed,
the increased threat of violence against the Buddhist community from
outside Muslim groups, the increase in suffering among both Muslims